A controversial bowhunting couple — famous for flaunting hunting trophies to hundreds of thousands of followers on social media — has been fined a whopping $133,000 for allegedly trafficking animals in Nebraska.
The pair were sentenced last week for conspiring to violate the US Lacey Act in a federal court in Omaha, as one part of what’s being labeled the largest poaching case in state history.
Josh Bowmar, 32, and Sarah Bowmar, 33, from Ohio were among dozens charged with embarking on dozens of illegal game-hunting excursions with the Broken Arrow, Nebraska-based Hidden Hills Outfitters between Sept. 10, 2015, and Nov. 6, 2017, KPVI reported.
During that time, the not-so-great white hunters had knowingly pursued white-tailed deer, wild turkeys and other animals without a valid license and by using bait, per the original 2020 indictment. The document states that they had employed numerous bait sites in order to “maximize their hunting effectiveness and success rate” or “attempt to kill a specific trophy deer.”
The Bowmars would then would post footage of their ill-gotten trophies to their YouTube and Instagram pages, both entitled “Bowmar Bowhunting,” where they boast over 300,000 subscribers and 342,000 followers, respectively.
In one of the disturbing clips posted on Jan. 5, 2017, which was referenced in the indictment, Josh, a fitness trainer, can be seen dispatching a white-tailed deer with an arrow. He later describes how “its frickin’ antlers” fell off after he shot it.
The Bowmars had transported these animal trophies to Ohio and elsewhere. In doing so, they had conspired to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits “trafficking in fish, wildlife, or plants that are illegally taken, possessed, transported, or sold.”
In October, the trophy hunters pleaded guilty in the US District Court of Nebraska to one count of conspiring to violate the Lacey Act, Field & Stream reported. This resulted in the court dropping four other more serious charges, which were predominantly related to illegal animal baiting.
As punishment for their crimes, the Bowmars were each sentenced on Thursday to three years of probation and 40 hours of community service. The judge also ordered the archers to pay a $75,000 fine — $25,000 for each Bowmar plus their hunting company Bowmar Bowhunting LLC of Ankeny, Iowa — along with forfeiting $44,000 in property, and paying $13,000 in restitution to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
The couple is also prohibited from hunting in the state of Nebraska during their probationary period.
All told, a staggering 39 people were convicted while over $750,000 in fines, restitution and forfeitures were collected in what’s being called the largest poaching case in Nebraska history.
The clandestine animal-killing ring was responsible for taking at least 97 game animals ranging from turkey to pronghorn via prohibited means. These include baiting deer, using prohibited guns, hunting during closed season hours and taking mule deer from conservation areas.
“This sentencing hearing marks the completion of all foreseen prosecutions of numerous defendants related to violations committed by owners, guides, and clients of Hidden Hills Outfitters,” declared United States Attorney Steven Russell in a press release.
This isn’t the first time the Bowmars have found themselves in the crosshairs of controversy. In 2016, Josh — who met his wife Sarah in a 2014 bodybuilding competition — sparked outrage amongst wildlife activists after uploading a video of himself fatally spearing a bear that he’d baited in Alberta, Canada.
Despite the graphic nature of the kill, the former college football player was never charged as spear hunting was still allowed in Alberta at the time.
In response to the backlash, Josh claimed that the kill was ethical and that “no one cares more about animals” than hunters.
